Mercury & Arsenic Levels Spike in Ghana’s Mining Zones — New Study Sounds Health Alarm

A year-long study by Pure Earth and Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found dangerously high mercury and arsenic contamination in six artisanal gold-mining regions, warning of serious health risks for nearby communities. In Konongo Zongo, average soil mercury hit 56.4 ppm (WHO safe limit ~10 ppm), with hotspots up to 1,342 ppm; arsenic clocked as high as 10,060 ppm, roughly 40× recommended thresholds.

Doctors in affected zones report more kidney complications among children, aligning with exposure pathways identified by the researchers (soil, crops, water, dust). Activists and residents are urging tougher enforcement against illegal mining and faster rollout of mercury-free extraction methods.

Why it matters

• Public health: Long-term exposure raises risks of neurological damage, organ failure, and cancers.
• Food security: Contaminated soils & crops threaten local diets and incomes.
• Policy: Results pile pressure on regulators to police illegal sites and incentivize safer tech.

What to watch next: Government response plans, funding for remediation, and adoption rates of safer processing tools in small-scale mining hubs. (See Pure Earth Ghana’s overview for context.)

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Source: raylizaghana.com